Do you like tactical turn-based strategy? Then this could be something for you. Although the remake of Front Mission 1st sometimes causes frustration and lacks flexibility. Which is a shame because it could have been more. The question arises as to why certain aspects of the gameplay have not been modernized, especially since you can always play the original in Front Mission 1st: Remake.
Let’s take a quick look back. Front Mission originally appeared in 1995 for the SNES and had you fighting on the side of the OCU (South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia) against the USN (North and South America). In 2003 Front Mission 1st was released and brought with it a new USN campaign where you can experience the familiar events from this perspective.
Too much coincidence is not healthy
At its core, you complete numerous turn-based battles against your enemies. And not on foot, but in your Wanzers, customizable mechs. These have different hit zones: torso, legs and both arms. Actually an interesting concept, because there are tactical advantages if, for example, the legs (slower movement) or the arms (weapons are no longer available) are destroyed. If the torso is broken, it shuts down the whole Wanzer.
As I said, it could to be interesting. It is not possible to target the individual parts of the Wanzer with most weapons. You are completely at the mercy of chance. Just a few points left on your opponent’s torso? If you’re unlucky, your unit will smack its legs or an arm instead. And if things go really badly, the enemy will kill your wanzer in return. These are not nice moments, to put it that way. Unfortunately, they appear quite frequently throughout the game.
At the same time, it slows down the battles, because if you could target parts, some battles would be over much faster. Especially at the beginning, when you consider the background, it’s not all that consistent. This is about armies and specialized mercenary squads. And yet at the beginning you sometimes have the feeling that you are dealing with beginners who are still learning how to deal with their bugs.
As your people gain experience and upgrade their gear and weapons, it gets better, yes, but overall there’s just too much randomness involved. You can work out the perfect plan on paper and put yourself in optimal attacking positions: if luck isn’t on your side, it’s all for naught. And that causes frustration.
The basics for tactical action are definitely there. Between missions, you can customize your Wanzer and buy new gear. On the battlefields you have different terrain and you have to get into good positions. There are long-range and short-range weapons, you can protect, repair, and always keep an eye on the battlefield. The right mix is the key to success, especially considering the random factor you want to improve your chances as much as possible.
In other places things are looking better
In other areas, Front Mission 1st: Remake presents itself as a more successful remake. The story offers drama and twists, is well told, if only in the form of overlays of heads and text boxes. Technically, more would have been possible, for example with larger, more lively portraits of the characters, but I can live with that.
The graphic upgrade is definitely appealing, Front Mission 1st: Remake has a nice look and pays attention to detail, especially with the buggers, which even have movable windshield wipers. On the big TV, this comes into its own even better than in the mobile mode of the Nintendo Switch. As mentioned at the very beginning, you also have the option of playing the game in the original look, but in return you have to do without all the improvements. This includes, among other things, the rotating camera perspective, and the soundtrack has also been appropriately modernized.
Front Mission 1st: Remake – Conclusion
The great element of randomness in Front Mission 1st: Remake is really something of a missed opportunity to me. I don’t like it when attacks are completely left to chance and I don’t have a deeper insight into them. For example, an XCOM always shows me the chance of success with a shot. I can prepare myself for the fact that it might not work out, but I’ll try anyway. When two Wanzers face each other directly field after field and miss or shoot past with their big guns, it sometimes comes across as involuntarily funny.
It spoils the overall impression, because apart from that it has become a really nice remake. Given the random factor, I wouldn’t unreservedly recommend it to anyone. If you’ve played and loved the original, if you’re thirsty for a mech game, check it out. And if randomness annoys you, switch to a lower difficulty level, that makes it a little better.
Front Mission 1st: Remake Rating: 7/10
Front Mission 1st: Remake – Pros and Cons
Per:
- Technically successful modernization
- An exciting story told from two perspectives
- Good sound track
- Mechs that can be customized in detail
Cons:
- Chance plays too big a role in combat
- Individual body parts of the mechs cannot be targeted
Developer: Forever Entertainment Publishers: Forever Entertainment Platforms: nintendo switch release: 11/30/2022 – Genre: strategy, RPG Price (RRP): €34.99
